India-Pakistan Tensions: Did you know Pakistan once shot down its own F-16 fighter jet? Read the story behind the Pakistani pilots’ act of ‘foolishness’

New Delhi: The tensions between India and Pakistan are rising with every passing day. The authorities on Friday mentioned that Pakistan armed forces doubtless mature Turkish drones in that assault on Indian cities on May 8. Whereas addressing the media, the authorities mentioned that preliminary forensic evaluation of particles recovered from downed drones suggests they were Turkish-made “Asisguard Songar” objects, repeatedly deployed for surveillance and precision strikes. In the course of this, we carry you an entertaining memoir from ancient past — a time when Pakistan shot down its hold F-16 fighter jet. Regarded as to be definitely one of many sector’s most stepped forward multirole fighter jets, the F-16 used to be mature to shoot down a fellow plane — a blunder that can most productive be described as a strategic embarrassment. Right here's exactly what the Pakistan Air Power did.

It used to be in the yaer 1987 when this incident took region, when Pakistan’s F-16s shot down one more F-16 mid-air. This took region all over a time when the Soviet Union used to be waging battle in Afghanistan. Clashes between Soviet plane and the Pakistan Air Power most steadily came about shut to the Pakistani border. The Afghan Air Power used to be backed by the Soviet Union, whereas Pakistan’s Air Power, on the behest of the usa, used to be fighting in opposition to Soviet forces in the placement.

Afghan Air Power In opposition to the Soviet Union

Two F-16 jets from Pakistan Air Power’s 14th Squadron were ordered to intercept four Russian MiG-23 plane that were on a bombing mission in Afghanistan. Because the Pakistani F-16s climbed from low altitude to hold interplay the MiG-23 formation, a necessary mistake came about. One Pakistani pilot mistook the assorted F-16 as an enemy plane.

The operation used to be led by Cruise Commander Amjad Javed, whereas the 2nd F-16 used to be being flown by a pilot named Flight Lieutenant Shahid Sikandar. For the length of the assault, an AIM-9P Sidewinder missile fired from Amjad Javed’s plane struck the loyal soar of Shahid Sikandar’s F-16 as an quite quite a lot of of focusing on a MiG-23.

“Even though pilot Shahid Sikandar managed to assign his life in time by activating the ejection seat loyal after the missile struck the F-16, the plane used to be reduced to particles. The most shocking facet used to be that, on the time, the F-16 used to be regarded as the sector’s most stepped forward fighter jet, equipped with cutting-edge programs. This methodology identifies targets utilizing an electronic beam and confirms sooner than launching a missile whether the drawing come plane is an enemy or an excellent friend.

At as soon as after the incident, the Afghan Air Power claimed it had shot down the Pakistani F-16. However, when the wreckage used to be examined, it used to be learned that the break came about in consequence of the pilot’s silly mistake. The investigation published that the jet’s sensor, which distinguishes between friendly and enemy plane, had failed to operate. But Pentagon officers remained skeptical of this theory for a in point of fact long time